Knock-down sofa

ABSTRACT

A knock-down sofa having a seat frame, back frame and a pair of end or arm frames, a back envelope extending between and attached to the rear portions of the arm frames, and cooperative means on the arm frames and back frame for slidably receiving the back frame within the back envelope, and cooperative means for receiving the seat frame between the arm frames in assembled position.

United States Patent [1 91 Faulkner et a1.

KNOCK-DOWN SOFA Filed: Nov. 26, 1971 Appl. No.: 202,177

US. Cl. 297/440, 297/218 Int, Cl. A47c 7/00 Field of Search 297/440, 218, 456,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1963 Faulkner et al 297/218 9/1953 Ohlsson 297/443 X Nov. 27, 1973 1,782,988 11/1930 Frank 297/440 X 2,638,971 5/1953 Furman r 4 297/218 X 1,278,491 9/1918 Metzgerm. 297/443 X 2,612,213 9/1952 Bott 297/218 X 3,380,777 4/1968 Bennett r 297/440 3,653,712 4/1972 Sarvas 297/218 Primary Examiner-Francis K. Zugel Attorney-Harrington A. Lackey [57] ABSTRACT A knock-down sofa having a seat frame, back frame and a pair of end or arm frames, :a back envelope extending between and attached to the rear portions of the arm frames, and cooperative means on the arm frames and back frame for slidably receiving the back frame within the back envelope, and cooperative means for receiving the seat frame between the arm frames in assembled position.

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1 KNOCK-DOWN SOFA BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a knock-down sofa, and more particularly to a knock-down sofa having replace- The knock-down sofa made in accordance with this invention is an improvement over applicants prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,104,913, issued Sept. 24, 1963.

In the prior Faulkner U.S. Pat. 3,104,913, the seat frame, back frame andarm frames were detachably secured together for assembly. with a. unitary slipcover havingcorresponding back,seat and arm envelopes. In assembling theelements, the back and seat frames were preferably first secured together, and the arm frames inserted into the arm envelopes of the slip-cover. By spreading the arm frames and arm envelopes apart, the

back and seat envelopes were opened and slipped down over the corresponding back andseat frames into assembled position.

SUMMARY OFTHE INVENTION In this knock-down sofa, the arm frames are preupholstered and permanently covered. A back envelope is attached at its opposite ends to the rear inner faces of the upholstered arm frames, and slidable securing means areprovidedon the inner faces of the arm frames within the back envelope for slidably receiving the opposite end members of the back frame. By spreading the armframes apart, the back'envelope is stretched into its open position, and the back frame is inserted until it is fully received within the back envelope and holds the arm frames apart. The back frame may be latched in its assembled position, if desired. The seat frame is then placed inits assembled position be tween the arm frames and the front of the back frame and held in that 1 position by appropriate securing means.

A separate detachable seat cover may be provided to cover the top of theseat frame, or the seat frame may be covered with cushions which have removable seat covers. A front panel extending the length of the sofa may also be detachably secured to cover the front edge portion of theseat frame. i

It will be understood that the covering of the upholstered arm frames, the back envelope, the seat cover, cushion covers and front panel will all be of the same patterned material. Furthermore, the pattern of the sofa may be changed by merely replacing the front panel, or the front panel cover, the cushion covers, the seat frame cover,and the entire back envelope and upholstered arm frames. It has been determined that such a replacement,eventhough it seems substantial, can be accomplished for approximately one-half the cost of an entirely new sofa.

Another important feature of the sofa is that, because of the separable seat frame, back frame, arm frames, back envelope and front paneLthe space occupied by the knocked-down elements is substantially less than BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded, perspective, assembly view of the invention with certain cover portions removed;

FIG. 2 is an exploded end elevation of the preassembled elements, with the back envelope shown in sectional elevation;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, front-end elevation of the elements of FIG. 2, with the front panel removed;

FIG. 4 is a sectional elevation of the sofa in assembled position;

FIG. 5 isa fragmentary bottom plan view, with portions broken away, of the assembled sofa disclosed in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 isa fragmentary section taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 7 isa bottom-end view of the elements disclosed in FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The sofa 10 made in accordance with this invention includes a seat frame or deck 11, a back frame 12, arm frames 13 and 14 and a back envelope 15.

The seat frame 11 is preferably a rectangular metal frame having a front rail 17, back rail 18, and end rails 19 and 20. Supported between the rails 17 and 18 is a seat spring member 21.

, A seat cover 23 is adapted to be detachably mounted upon the seat frame 11 by means such as snap fasteners 24 fixed to the margins of the seat cover 23 and adapted to cooperate with mating holes 25 on the front rail 17, end rails 19 and 20, and on the back surface of the back rail 18.

The back frame 12 is also preferably rectangular and made of metal to include the bottom rail 27, toprail 28, and straight end rails 29 and 30 having outer plane surfaces. The back frame 12 may also include reinforcing cross-members 31.

Each armframe 13 and 14 isa mirror image of the other, and is preferably upholstered and permanently covered with the material of a desired pattern. Permanently fastened to the interior faces of the rear portions of the arm frames 13 and 14 are the end portions of back envelope 15. The end portions of the back envelope 15 are preferably permanently stitched to the covering material of the upholstered arm frames 13 and 14. The top edge of the back envelope 15 is closed, while the bottom edge portion of the back envelope 15 is open, but adapted to be closed by the envelope flap 33 having snap fastener elements 34 adapted to cooperate with the snap fastener elements 35 fixed to the bottom margin of the back panel of the back envelope 15.

The dimensions of the back envelope 15 are sufficient to completely contain the back frame 12, with the envelope flap 33 closed and the snap fastener elements 34 and 35 engaged.

Fixed in a generally upstanding direction on the inner faces of the rear portions of the arm frames 13 and 14 are a pair of elongated straight channels or guide or slide rails 37. Adapted to fit within the slide rails 37 in sliding engagement are a plurality of longitudinally spaced, projecting guide elements 38 formed on the outer faces of the end rails 29 and 30 of the back frame 12.

As best disclosed in FIG. 7, the guide rail 37 is channel-shaped in such a manner that the side flanges converge toward each other in cross-section, and the projecting slide elements 38 have a pair of diverging flanges which slidably engage the interior faces of the converging flanges of the slide rail 37.

Although the slide rails 37 are disposed in a generally upright position and fixed to the opposed arm frames 13 and 14, nevertheless they are also disposed within the back envelope so that they are free to be engaged by the projecting slide elements 38 as the back frame 12 is moved upward into the back envelope 15.

By holding the arm frames 13 and 14 as far apart as possible so that the back envelope 15 is stretched and the bottom flap 33 is open, as disclosed in FIG. 1, the back frame 12 may be inserted into the back envelope 15 by aligning and guiding the projecting slide elements 38 into the mating slide rails 37. After the back frame 12 is fully inserted into the back envelope 15, it may be latched in the assembled position by means of latch pin 40. The latch pin 40 is supported on a leaf spring 41 fastened to the inner face of each corresponding end rail 29 and 30 to project outwardly from each end rail and to register with a corresponding hole 44 in each corresponding guide rail 37 when the back frame 12 is in its fully assembled position, as disclosed in FIG. 4.

Fixed on each end rail 19 and of the seat deck 11 are a pair of latch pin projectors 46 and a pair of dovetail projectors 47. Opposing these latching projectors 46 and 47 in opposing cooperative relationship on the interior faces of the bottom portions of the arm frames 13 and 14, are the mating latch pin receptors 48 and dovetail receptors 49. It will be noted that both the latch receptors 48 and 49 open upward to receive the latch projectors 46 and 47 as the seat deck 11 is lowered between and relative to the arm frames 13 and 14 into assembled position, as disclosed in FIG. 4.

The seat deck 11 may just as easily be disassembled by simply raising the seat deck 11 to disengage the latch projectors 46 and 47 from their corresponding receptors 48 and 49, to a position as disclosed in FIG. 2.

In order to complete the appearance of the sofa 10, a front panel member 50 having a length substantially equal to the front rail 17 and adapted to fit transversely between the front portions of the arm frames 13 and 14 may be secured to the front rail 17 by bolts 51 extending through holes 52 and secured to the front rail 17 by bolts extending through holes 52 and secured by wing nuts 53. The front panel 50 may be permanently covered by a material of the same pattern as the cover material for the rest of the sofa, or it may be provided with an attachable cover material 54 which may be detachably secured to the front and top surface of the front panel 50 by adhesive means, such as double-adhesive faced tape, or a Velcro fastener.

For additional rigidity, and also to lend additional shape to the back envelope 15, a bottom rail or board 55 may be secured at its ends into the bottom rear portions of the arm frame 14. As disclosed in the drawings, the bottom rail 55 has dowel pins projecting from its opposite ends adapted to be received in mating apertures 57 on the interior faces of the opposing arm frames 13 and 14.

Although the seat cover 23 may itself be upholstered to complete the seat deck 11, nevertheless it may be a simple sheet cover, as disclosed in the drawings, in which event seat cushions 60 may be placed upon the seat cover 23. The seat cushions 60 may also be provided with replaceable slipcovers, in a conventional manner, to conform with the overall patterned material of the sofa. Back cushions 61 may also be employed, if desired.

In the manufacture of the sofa 10, the arm frames 13 and 14 and the back envelope 15 are all pre-assembled as a unit, as disclosed in FIG. 1. If the seat cover 23 is used, it will be of the same material as the covering material for the arm frames 13 and 14 and the back envelope 15. The cover 54 for the front panel 50, whether permanently or detachably secured upon the panel 50, is also of the same patterned material. The cushions 60 and 61 are provided with slipcovers also of the same patterned material. All of the separate, pre-assembled units and elements are disclosed in FIG. 1. In storage or transportation, of course, the back envelope 15 is collapsed so that the arm frames 13 and 14 are stacked against each other. The support beam 55, back frame 12 and seat deck 11, as well as the front panel 50, are each separately stored pieces.

In assembling the sofa 10, the back frame 12 is inserted up through the open bottom end portion of the back envelope 15 until it is in its fully assembled position as disclosed in FIG. 4, at which time the locking pin 40 automatically latches in its mating hole 44, at each end of the back frame 12. The bottom support beam 55 is then inserted up into the back end of the envelope 15 so that its dowel pins 56 are inserted into the corresponding openings 57. The flap 33 is then pulled around beneath both the bottom rail 27 of the back frame 12 and the bottom support beam 55, and the fastener elements 34 and 35 secured. The seat deck 11 is then dropped into place between the arm frames 13 and 14 until the latch projectors 46 and 47 are firmly received in their respective latch receptors 48 and 49. The front panel 50 is secured to the front rail 17 of the seat deck 11 by securing the wing nuts 53 upon the bolts 51 extending through their corresponding apertures 52.

The above assembly steps can be carried out quite rapidly. To disassemble the sofa 10 for storage or transportation, the reverse steps are performed with the same amount of simplicity and rapidity. If it is desired to change the pattern of the cover materials for the sofa 10, the above disassembly steps are performed. The slipcover for the cushions 60 and 61 are replaced, the seat cover 23 is replaced, the front cover 54 is replaced, and the entire combination of the arm frames 13 and 14 and back envelope 15 are replaced as a unit, and the assembly steps repeated.

What is claimed is:

l. A knock-down sofa comprising:

a. a seat frame,

b. a back frame having top and bottom edge portions and first and second end members,

c. first and second arm frames having front and rear portions and inner faces,

(1. a back envelope having top and bottom edge portions, one of which edge portions is open to receive said back frame,

e. said back envelope having opposite end portions permanently attached to the respective rear portions of said first and second arm frames.

f. elongated guide means,

g. means securing said elongated guide means within the opposite end portions of said back envelope and against the inner faces of the rear portions of both said arm frames to extend generally upward and substantially the full height of said inner faces,

h. guide elements on the first and second end members of said back frame adapted to cooperate with said guide means for slidably receiving said back frame within said back envelope,

i. seat securing means detachably receiving said seat frame between the inner faces of said arm frames.

2. The invention according to claim 1 in which said arm frames are upholstered and the end portions of said back envelope are permanently attached to said upholstered arm frames between said elongated guide means and the inner faces of said respective upholstered arm frames.

3. The invention according to claim 1 in which said frame between said side frames. 

1. A knock-down sofa comprising: a. a seat frame, b. a back frame having top and bottom edge portions and first and second end members, c. first and second arm frames having front and rear portions and inner faces, d. a back envelope having top and bottom edge portions, one of which edge portions is open to receive said back frame, e. said back envelope having opposite end portions permanently attached to the respective rear portions of said first and second arm frames. f. elongated guide means, g. means securing said elongated guide means within the opposite end portions of said back envelope and against the inner faces of the rear portions of both said arm frames to extend generally upward and substantially the full height of said inner faces, h. guide elements on the first and second end members of said back frame adapted to cooperate with said guide means for slidably receiving said back frame within said back envelope, i. seat securing means detachably receiving said seat frame between the inner faces of said arm frames.
 2. The invention according to claim 1 in which said arm frames are upholstered and the end portions of said back envelope are permanently attached to said upholstered arm frames between said elongated guide means and the inner faces of said respective upholstered arm frames.
 3. The invention according to claim 1 in which said seat securing means comprises mating securing elements on the inner faces of said arm frames and on the opposing portions of said seat frame, said securing elements cooperating to hold said seat frame in assembled position as said seat frame is lowered between and relative to said arm frames.
 4. The invention according to claim 1 further comprising an elongated front panel extending the length of said seat frame, and means for detachably securing said front panel in assembled position in front of said seat frame between said side frames. 